


Burn That Bridge When You Get To It

by Solethen



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Grimmjow is looking a lil feral, Ichigo is just Tired, M/M, Slow Burn, dem eyes tho, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:27:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23666878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solethen/pseuds/Solethen
Summary: Soulmates were a fate designed way of linking people together, though in what manner was unsure. They’d be life-changing either way.Ichigo grew up in a world ruled by only one colour, right up until some asshole comes along and decides to roundhouse kick him in the chest.Red is a pretty nice colour. Shame said asshole really has no interest in sticking around to find out though
Relationships: Grimmjow Jaegerjaques/Kurosaki Ichigo
Comments: 15
Kudos: 96





	1. A something of some sort

**D** id you know there were six prominent tints and over twenty-four distinct shades of blue? That being said, you can find up to fifty or more listed shades that make up the colour. Most people could name a good fifteen before they began to wonder if they were repeating themselves. 

The exception, of course, was when their soul mate's eyes were blue. In that case, many people did what most do and flocked to the internet, narrowing it down. Fantasizing.

Ichigo wouldn't admit to doing it if you tortured him. He’s totally done it though. 

It was such a particular colour; blue. The sky was blue, the sea was blue, it was a primary colour and the one most stereotyped to fit males after the world wars ended. It was also very European. Expensive, he chuckled to himself after ‘stumbling across it’ online. 

In Japan, the vast majority of the people had brown or black eyes and upon realising Ichigo half-heartedly rolled his own. It was just typical of him to have a bazaar soul mate. 

Soulmates were a fate designed way of linking people together, though in what manner was unsure. They’d be life-changing either way. It was heavily romanticized and stories of negative soulmates were hushed, not welcome in the world living in biological rose-tinted glasses. 

Not everyone had the soulmate vision, though this was a relatively small percent and it is theorised that these people just mutated in the womb and that their soulmates were out there, equally confused or just unaware. 

From the moment you were born until the moment you made contact with your soulmate, you saw only the colour of their eyes. The rest of the world was just a grayscale to be coloured in when you finally meet the one, colours beyond the comprehension of either of you booming around you to be explored together. Luckily for everyone, eyes were known to hold a spectrum of colour, even within one tone of colour.. 

Ever since he was young Ichigo loved the rich tones of the sky, the shimmering water, and the intense and unforgettable colour of the flowers that grew around the fields in school. He remembered looking to his mother one day after she picked him up, blown away by the bloom of colour amongst the blades of grey. 

“What's that?” he asked, pointing crudely to the delicate petals of the tiny flower. 

“The flower? It's a forget-me-not. Isn't it lovely?” His mother crouched down beside him and for a moment they both gazed at the sight. Ichigo in child-like wonder while his mother watched him with amusement. 

He looked at the plant, taking in the vibrant blue petals with a grey stem, grey middle and an even greyer patch of grass. “Forget-me-not.” He worded it out very carefully, as though the flower would hold the key to something later on that was very important and Masaki was sure that to him, it probably was.

The flower was... something. A something of some sort, a something that Ichigo would later put to the word beautiful. 

Masaki merely smiled before grasping his hand and together they walked home, deep in thought. Ichigo at that point had already learned about soul mates, taught to him by his paired parents, and he had already found out from a book from school that his soul mate had blue eyes. Ichigo had found out that while he could see the deep royal blues, and the cyans were very vibrant though he couldn't see the teal or mint varieties. Too green. As a child this was exciting. He wore it proudly. _His_ soulmate had blue eyes. _His_ soulmate was special.

As he grew up, however, Ichigo began to have bittersweet feelings about the colour. Gone was the childhood innocence and instead a traumatised and motherless little boy was left behind. He could see the blue of the river the night his mother died, the splatter of rain as it washed away the grey of his mother's blood. He looked up at the deep dark blue sky with grey clouds and for once he hated it. 

Life from then on could be described as melancholy. The excitement and richness of blue had left him, it just reminded him that it was also the colour of sadness, blurred by the ocean of toned greys around him. 

“It didn't matter anyway”, he told himself. Ichigo was a liar. 

\---  
  


Rukia came rudely crashing into his life, feet only a whisper but it felt like a tidal wave sweeping him away. And with her came the problems of the Soul Society. He made friends, strengthened the bonds he had and finally stopped lying about being happy. 

Ichigo came back as someone new. Ichigo finally felt like he had the power to protect others. The matter of soul mates and the trouble that came with them was forgotten. But with the birth of new powers came the reveal of new responsibilities and insecurities. One of them being the seemingly new inability to control himself. 

“Damn it!” He growled, disgusted by his own pathetic sulking. Ichigo couldn’t help anyone in the state he was in now, too much power and not enough control. 

There was a darkness inside him and it wasn’t your average teen angst, Ichigo knew that much. He could feel it, slowly suffocating him, prowling behind the shadows in his mind for a moment, just a second, of weakness. The heart-stopping moment when his vision narrows as a cold, hard mask takes shape over his face thrived in his nightmares. The hissing taunt of that voice rang in his ears until he could barely concentrate. The redhead’s mind was everywhere and he found himself feeling the worst thing possible all over again. Lost. 

Ichigo didn’t have the slightest clue as to what it was that took over him that day during the fight with Byakuya but he knew that if he wasn’t careful then he would be the one he had to protect his friends from. He’d watched them be healed and knew that it was his blade that sought after their blood.

Ichigo wasn’t depressed despite what his friends worried about, promise. He just had things on his mind so when the old cycle of life churned on he knew what to do on a muscle memory base and he could leave his mind to wander. He had so much to consider and take in. His inner hollow, Shinji, the soul society and the clusterfuck of a mess Aizen had left behind as he disappeared to who knows where. 

Sure, Rukia was safe but he didn't get to see her considering she was back in the Soul Society, probably still traumatised after her near death. She was fine, he found out abruptly, as she lurked in the window like an absolute weirdo. Or perhaps she was a bit like a pigeon. He couldn’t decide, he was too busy getting kicked in the face. Ichigo growled, shoving her off him and mentally made a note to mock her about her theatre production-ass entrances. And she called him dramatic! Injustice! 

There was also the whole Hitsugaya and gang issue. Don’t get him wrong, Ichigo loved his friends but frankly, the idea of them stalking about Karakura made him understandably nervous. And a little possessive, though only a little bit. Tiny, really.

Ichigo promptly remembered that he was a liar.

\---

There had been many times when Ichigo had felt weak, lost among the powerful people he called his friends. Ichigo had felt the enormous wave of reiatsu, even with his admittedly terrible grasp of it. He felt the ground rumble and the very air quake. Ichigo felt a flash of dread build up in his stomach, there was still so much to learn before he could control the beast within, as he had taken to calling it in the privacy of his own head. He and Rukia rushed out nevertheless, determined to defend Karakura. It wasn’t long before a threat made itself known and Ichigo felt another purge of dread and weakness.

However, this didn’t last long. As he stared at the glowing snow and ice of Sode no Shirayuki all he could feel was a wave of awe. He was frozen to the spot, eyes wide open. He watched Shikai dance and glow, creating a solid block of ice that froze the cocky Arrancar without a sweat. Rukia has gained so much reiatsu since he last met her. She was defenceless after giving him the majority of hers, and Ichigo knew she must have had a lot to take a giant hit like that and still have some left but this, this was unbelievable. 

Di Roy was encased in ice faster than Ichigo nor Di Roy himself could believe. His face morphed into one of horror as the ice crawled towards him from the ground up, swallowing his body as the circle beneath him glowed. He thought he was safe in the sky but he was mistaken and now he was paying for it. Ichigo simply watched one part just in shock by the raw power and beauty and another in understanding, knowing that Di Roy was a threat that needed to be neutralised. This was a threat to his friends and family, though the Arrancar reiatsu was almost laughably low compared to the other Arrancars Ichigo had met he still couldn’t take the chance. Not with his loved one's families on the lines. 

Wide eyes slowly took in the spot where the Arrancar was shattered to Rukia. She stood there, her zanpakutō out as though it weighed less than a snowflake, long ribbon dancing in the aftermath of the attack gracefully. Her eyes were closed. He was sure it was just for effect, he thought with a flash of amusement, she was theatrical. Still, it was cool.

Impressive. He vowed to never tell Rukia this with a straight face if he could help it.

They didn't get to relax long before the real threat made itself clear, however. “What?!” A voice drawled from above them, the reiatsu pressure making the shinigami to quake as it seemed to smother the air around them. Rukia's cornflower blue eyes seemed to grow as wide as plates as she, along with Ichigo, stilled. The air was thick.

“Was Di Roy killed?”, the voice continues despite the fact the Arrancar was clearly missing from the picture. 

Both shinigami snapped their head up to the figure standing in the sky. How long had he been standing there? Had he been hiding the whole time, just watching? The wild colour scheme and ever-present lower jawbone across his right face screamed Arrancar but what stood out most to Ichigo was the empty pit through the male's abdomen. 

A part of Ichigo was lost by the sheer amount of blue on this dude but the more logical part, the part of him that was battle-hardened and tired of disappointment shoved this irrational thought down. Blue was a normal day to day thing, lots of people enjoyed wearing blue though usually, it wasn’t on their head.

“How did you do, Soul Reapers? I’m Arrancar Sexta, Grimmjow!”

A wide grin glared down at Ichigo and Rukia. It was sharp and wide, matched with eyes sharper than Ichigo was comfortable with. They were being oppressed by the Arrancar and he was still a good distance away, looking down on them with a feral grin and stance wide with dominance. 

The Arrancar, Grimmjow, began to descend and with him came his stifling reiatsu. He hovered down, touching the ground gracefully and sending a shockwave along the street, blowing the wind through their clothes. The wild grin sobered into a smirk, intense blue eyes piercing them. This wasn’t Ichigo’s first rodeo by any means but being stared down like a piece of meat, like prey, never got easier. It was like with Kenpachi, there was just something deeply unsettling about having someone come at you with the drive to kill and not just neutralise. 

“Which one-” Grimmjow seemed to cut himself off, leaning in as though telling some vital information. Ichigo found himself wanting to follow, despite everything else in him screaming to run. There was just a look in those eyes he wanted no part of. The killer intent didn't help. “Which one of you is the strongest? Which one of you is going to take me on?!” The Arrancar's grin was back and it was wider than before, which Ichigo didn’t think possible. Grimmjow's eyes seemed to double in size, taking everything in. There was something wrong about seeing so much of the whites of someone's eyes, circles of cyan clashing with a bottomless black that echoed the one in his stomach. So much of Ichigo's culture revolved around people's eyes and the fate that connected them to each other through them. He found it hard to ignore through the haze of horror. 

His train of thought was broken by Rukia taking initiative and whipping around to howl an “Ichigo, run!”. Her eyes were also blue, a deeper hue but the fear in them were like night and day to the animalistic ones belonging to the hollows. He flinched back, preparing to do something when there was a movement and the hollow was closer. Much closer. Before Ichigo could say anything Rukia was being attacked, a hand and most of Grimmjow’s wrist and lower radius piercing through her stomach like a hot knife through butter. 

All stood still for a moment, a heartbeat where Rukia stood dazed, looking down at the hand now going through her stomach and mirroring the whole going through Grimmjow. The specifics of the position was not lost on Ichigo though at that moment he could have cared less. His friend was just stabbed because he wasn’t fast enough to protect her. The shinigami was lifted straight off her feet and tossed to the size in a manner only befitting an inconvenience. 

Ichigo yelled her name, finally unlocking his limbs to make a mad dash towards her, and in turn towards the Arrancar. The grin had never left the hollow’s face. 

There was a clash of spiritual pressure as both reiatsu went head to head. Ichigo shunpo closer but was blocked by a forearm, almost lazy in its movement. It should have bitten into his skin, taken it off even but there wasn't even a scratch. The grin that had haunted Grimmjow’s face had fallen to an almost displeased frown. Ichigo strained against his arm, pleading with his zanpakutō to cut, to hold the hollow back. Their eyes met. 

A flash of reiatsu and Ichigo was being forced back, thrown into the sky. He threw up his arms to block his face in a basic stance, pushing against the wind and digging his feet into his reiatsu platforms. He relaxed and down below him was that fucking Arrancar. He had brought his arm up to scratch at his ear. It was so casual and so indifferent. It made Ichigo’s blood boil. This feeling was one of blossoming hatred, of frustration edged with humiliation.

“I don't feel like killing you at all like this” the hollow bemoaned in a bored tone. “Show me your Bankai while I’m holding back on you.” Hesitation flickered through Ichigo, remembering the loss of control he had during his Bankai in the Soul Society. ‘If you’re so bored,’ Ichigo mentally spat at him, narrowing his eyes, ‘then go elsewhere and leave us alone!’ This hesitation couldn’t last if he was to intimidate and win this fight he needed speed and power on his side. Ichigo knew this. He grabbed his zanpakutō and shouted the release phrase, welcoming the surge of power that flowed through him. Grimmjow was smirking once more, egging the shinigami on. 

Ichigo leapt at Grimmjow and the fight was on. The dust settled just as Ichigo was promptly welcomed by a kick to the stomach, sending him flying back. His figure in the sky was chased by a paler, bluer figure. He got his bearings quickly and was able to see the punch coming. ‘Not so fast now, though still now slow enough’. He reappeared behind Grimmjow, Zangetsu above his head aiming for a downward slash but the hollow was still fast. He dodged, chuckling as he stood on the street below. Ichigo gave chase in turn, kicking up dust and creating chaos in an attempt to land a hit. Shit, this wasn’t good. The shinigami couldn’t see him anymore. 

He surged forward with a yell, intending to strike Grimmjow once more. A hand clamped down on his zanpakutō. The fight continued. He was thrown about like a ragdoll, struggling to get enough friction for a stop.

Then-

A kick to the chest, hard enough to cause him to choke on his blood and the world exploded. 


	2. Kaleidoscope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The shinigami could hear footsteps make their way closer and when Ichigo could finally lift his head Grimmjow was prowling towards him, slouched forward like a predator stalking its prey or like the hollow had all the time in the world. There was no hesitation like the one Ichigo was experiencing. 
> 
> No flickering eyes or confusion, just steadfast determination to wreck Ichigo’s life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who commented and left kudos! It really made my week. I'm going to TRY to get out chapters on a weekly basis. Try being in caps.

The night sky seemed to explode into a world of static and a kaleidoscope of distracting colour. There was a vibrant colour in, what must be red, that spilt from Ichigo’s mouth as he choked on his blood. Yeah, that was a few cracked ribs. He felt dizzy, the town he had grown in and loved looked so different and turning his head was like turning on a carousel, bright lights of different colours demanding his attention.

Ichigo was in shock and mixing that with the pain of the kick, he was just a little confused. He could feel the world spinning as he cartwheeled through the sky, coming to a stop after crashing through a stoplight. He got to his feet, Zanpakutō clutched in his fist and looked up at the almost dancing form of the Arrancar. 

What?! Was this his-? But why was he-?

Ichigo didn’t get to finish the thoughts before Grimmjow was upon him, forcing him to defend. His ribs ached with every breath and his muscles screamed from the abuse but he had to continue fighting for his life. All confusion was shoved aside as he brought up his Zanpakutō and blocked Grimmjow’s arm. Had he hit, Grimmjow would have surely destroyed his face. The smile never fell. That grin was haunting, he didn’t seem the slightest bit deterrent. Ichigo faltered, caught up in his confusion, giving him the opening to land a hit and send the shinigami flying once more.

Ichigo yelled out as he bounced along the street, barely breaking his speed and his body ripped through whatever it hit. He’d feel this one tomorrow. If he was still alive that was. Finally, he came to a stop, crashing into metal railings and sending more dust flying. It seemed almost impossible to breathe as he laid there in a crater he had made. He could feel every inhale against his ribs. Ichigo tried to get up, head spinning with the effort, but his muscles refused to move. The shinigami could hear footsteps make their way closer and when Ichigo could finally lift his head Grimmjow was prowling towards him, slouched forward like a predator stalking its prey or like the hollow had all the time in the world. There was no hesitation like the one Ichigo was experiencing. No flickering eyes or confusion, just steadfast determination to wreck Ichigo’s life. 

Grimmjow finally reached the shallow crater Ichigo lay in, struggling to prop himself up. The Arrancar towered over him with a feral grin still in place. Like this, he could see the smudge of colour under his eyes and the colour of his skin. It was ever so slightly paler than Ichigos. He was dragged to his feet, legs buckling in the effort to hold his weight. Quickly Grimmjow reached back his fists and punched Ichigo causing him to jerk like a punching bag. Again and again, striking him as he was powerless to fight back. It was nauseating and the pain was sharp. If he didn’t have a concussion before, he had one now. His legs had locked up and he couldn’t lift his arms with his head being smacked around, the next punch hitting him before he could gather his thoughts. 

Grimmjow only laughed, not stopping in his attack. Ichigo’s eyes struggled to stay open, he could see droplets of what must be his red blood fly past as fists continued to hit him. He felt so helpless. Weak. He couldn’t help but reflect on all the hits he should be more powerful to block. The first Arrancars, Ulquiorra and Yammy, beat him around, attacked his friends and Ichigo could do nothing against it. This was his soulmate and clearly, it was the person to break him and to hurt his friends. 

A negative connection. 

Grimmjow changed it up, turning the punch into an uppercut. The force of it sent him up and he felt himself tip over. Grimmjow reeled back and uppercut him again, sending him higher into the air, the blue of the sky and the clouds flashed across his vision.   
This beating continued on for some time, though the passage of time had escaped Ichigo. He was really feeling the signs of his concussion.

“Is this all there is to a Bankai?” sounded from above him as he plummeted to the ground after a harsh hit down back to the crater. He sounded so annoyed, as though Ichigo owed him anything. “Don’t disappoint me, shinigami!”, Grimmjow roared down at him. He was still up in the sky, looking past his feet down at Ichigo. Grimmjow made no move yet to follow him down and Ichigo wanted him to regret it.

“Is your speed the only thing that Bankai increases?”   
Ichigo didn’t reply, a little distracted by his pain. He was losing consciousness and Grimmjow didn’t seem to appreciate this, leaning forward once more to yell down at the kicked around Shinigami.   
“Well?!”   
Ichigo struggled to his feet, glaring up at the figure in the sky. This had to stop. He snarled, griping Zangetsu and swinging it, sending a Getsuga Tenshou up at him. A red and black surge of reiatsu slammed into Grimmjow and Ichigo could only pant as it exploded around the hollow. He had never seen so much red but it seemed to erase everything else out, a sharp crimson splashing out. 

When it finally dispersed Ichigo could see him, arms crossed across his face to protect himself.  
Ichigo was panting still, trying to gather his thoughts. “What the hell was that?” the grin had returned. “Ulquiorra didn’t tell me about that move, shinigami.”

The grin was too wide, making his face scrunch up and causing all his features to sharpen. Ichigo felt himself grin in return. 

He snarled a triumphant “Am I still disappointing you, Arrancar?” and the laugh he got in return fired him up. For a moment he forgot what the price of failure was as they grinned at each other. “Bring it on, shinigami! Now I can say there is a reason to kill you!” Ichigo felt strong and proud once more, seeing his soulmates protecting himself, with his mark scrawled across his chest and wrists. He was acknowledging his strength. Showing the Arrancar that he was better than just speed. He’d show him.

“Ichigo, what are you smirking about?”  
Ichigo instantly felt himself flinch, a wave of cold going through him. Oh no. Oh no, please not now! The voice in his head seemed to sneer, darkness crawling across his vision as he tried to keep himself from freaking out and giving away his weakness to the Arrancar. 

“You seem pretty sure of yourself.” He could see his evil counterpart mock his grin, a mask partly formed and covering his now darkening eye. He quickly reached up to grip at his eye, pleading for more time in control. “How far,” the beast continued, “do you think you can get on your own?!”

Grimmjow just stayed standing, staring down at him in the most infuriating stance. He seemed to contemplate his next move as Ichigo was busy fighting himself for power. It was insane how strong this Arrancar was. Ichigo had taken down captains and this guy was holding him off without even a hand on his Zanpakutō. He knew Bankai was a risky business, using his counterparts powers, but he needed to if he was to survive long enough to get Rukia to help. 

“Hey!” The Arrancar was clearly finished sitting back and watching, shouting down at the shinigami. “Don’t space out on me!” He leered at him, “Now it’s my turn!” 

Everything he said was so passionate, a shout was his casual tone, Ichigo was noticing and he almost felt personally attacked whenever the other opened his mouth. Simple talking seemed to carry a distaste Ichigo had only heard in a few others. Well, a bit more than talking but it still, the observation stands. 

Grimmjow turned, clamping his hand on the previously ignored Zanpakto hanging by his hip. Ichigo felt himself physically tense up, what could only be fear strike through him. This was going to be trouble. 

The long blade wasn’t even released out of its sheath before a figure appeared behind the Arrancar. 

“Sheath your sword, Grimmjow.”

“Tousen?!” 

Both soulmates seemed confused by the appearance of the run-away captain. Ichigo still had his hand clamped around his eye but he could see him clearly, his orange clashing grotesquely against the blue of Grimmjow.   
He had heard about this Tousen, he was an ally of Aizen either way. He looked so vibrant, you'd never suspect him of betraying his whole department and the Soul Society.  
“Why the hell’re you here?” Grimmjow snarled, side-eyeing the new arrival. 

“Why you ask? You really don’t know?”

Ichigo looked between them, feeling like he was missing something. Either way, if Tousen decided to join in with beating up Ichigo then he was thoroughly screwed.   
“You take it upon yourself to invade the real world, immobilise five Arrancar and then lose them in battle”, Tousen continues, surprising Ichigo again. Grimmjow wasn’t here on orders? Tousen seemed to read his mind as he continued on, face never shifting.

“You are in violation of your orders. You understand. Don’t you?” He began to walk forward, towards the other figure in the sky. They seemed so far away but Ichigo could still hear them. “Lord Aizen is furious, Grimmjow.” Oh. Said Arrancar hadn’t said anything, glaring at him furiously. Tousen didn’t see nor did he care, walking past him and ignoring the blue glare stabbing lasers in his back.

“Come.” His voice gave no room for disobedience. He opened up what seemed to be a gaping hole in the sky, tearing it apart in a blockular motion with a motion of his hand. It was so unnatural but Ichigo was hanging onto every motion. “Your punishment will be decided in Hueco Mundo” 

“Whatever” 

Together they walked over to the makeshift entrance. His heartbeat erratically and he couldn’t help but jerk forward and shout “Wait!” His hand dropped to hold himself steady now he was leaning forward. His ribs protested but the sight of them just walking away from this hurt more. “Where are you going?!”  
Only his soul mate slowed to turn around, the captain continued to walk on and completely ignore Ichigo. Ouch. Grimmjow came to a stop, sneering down at him once more, hands back in pockets and looking like he’s just walking home after a casual stroll around the block. From this angle, the sharp gothic-looking six on his back seemed glaringly obvious.

“Shut your ass up. We’re going back…to Hueco Mundo.”   
There were hesitance and dispassion that wasn't there during their fight. Grimmjow sounded reluctant beneath his indifference but if he was going back to a punishment Ichigo didn’t blame him. He only really cared because he wanted to finish his fight. He didn’t know how he’d manage it but he needed to. For his pride. “Don’t play games with me,” he howled back, furious to be turned back on. Just when it was getting good, “you come here, attack us, and just leave on a whim?!” He threw back his arm and snarled. “You gotta be friggin’ kidding me! Get your ass back here!” Ichigo demanded, glaring up at them through the haze of black covering his vision. “We’re not finished here,” he protested loudly. 

“Gimme a break” the Arrancar growled back, “me leaving is the only thing that could’ve saved you, Shinigami.” Ichigo stopped glaring, taken aback. What? “I can tell just by looking at you that the move damages your body.” The tone was cold, disinterested. It grated on everything in Ichigo’s being. Grimmjow didn’t care. “You can only handle two or three more shots.”

Shit. So he had noticed too. Hearing Ichigo’s own thoughts echoed back to him by someone who was curb-stomping his ass moments before jolted him. He knew he was losing this fight but to know it was that obvious, it shook him.

“And even if you could fire those off without limits,” The blue-haired male continued, still looking at him down from over his shoulder, “you still wouldn’t stand a chance against my released form!” 

“Released form?”

“Don’t go forgettin’ my name. Just pray you never hear it again.” He turned around, bending at the waist to grin ear to ear. The jawbone stook to his face only made it seem bigger and wilder. “Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez!” The name of his soulmate. The name of one of the most important people in Ichigo’s life and he was hearing it moments after he was nearly beaten into submission.

“The next time you hear this name will be your last, shinigami.” and just like that, he was gone.

\--

Life after that night was different. Colour was just as distracting as he imagined it and more. Ichigo knew the basic colour theory but seeing it all was so much more different. As soon as his guilt and toss up about Rukia’s safety was in good hands, he looked up the different colours. He spent a good portion of his time that first night alternating between natural curiosity and self-loathing. 

A negative connection. Just Ichigo’s luck.

Clothing was something that Ichigo never took notice of but now everyone seemed so ...vibrant. There were a select few who were clearly paired if their visually pleasing colour combinations said anything and then there were the bolder and obviously not paired. Something about bright yellow and vibrant purple just hurt Ichigo's eyes and told him that the person was taking a wild guess. Shops were usually sectioned off with some of it being monochrome and then some dyed colours so that people weren’t making this mistake but Ichigo still saw people wander about with clashing clothing. 

Ichigo was relieved to find a lot of his favourite clothes were either complementary or monochrome. Score.

The Kurosaki household was as mad as always, though walking into the yellow halls and warm coloured rooms definitely had more of a reaction out of Ichigo than years of waking up to his father's unique morning visits. 

The colour of food always seemed to surprise him. He’d come down to breakfast and Yuzu would greet him with a stunning smile and a good morning, food ready and waiting. The greens and yellows and reds caught his attention endlessly though he tried his hardest not to show it. He really didn’t want to talk about his soulmate and the unfortunate luck that seemed to follow him.

He had yet to tell anyone about his connection. When Renji, Rukia and Orihime all sat on the roof he was tempted to bring it up but ultimately didn’t dare. This was his burden to carry. Rukia and Renji had to meet up with the others, they were technically on a mission and Orihime...Orihmine was already pretty banged up and Ichigo always dragged her into his problems. She’d look at him with those big worried eyes and tell him it’s fine but he really knows it's not. Rukia did bring up his inner hollow though, which he would have leapt on if it wasn't for the fact that he didn't exactly want to talk about that either. His lack of self-control in fights scared him, as much as he didn’t want to admit, and for a while there he thought he would lose control and hurt someone. 

Most connections were romanticized to the extremes. Really, no one wanted to think of the people with a negative connection. Out of sight, out of mind. It was a big thing, everyone would hold celebrations for those who were soulmates whether it was platonic or otherwise. Those with a negative connection said nothing. There were myths about people feeling each other through their connection but sitting back on his bed, Ichigo could confirm that that one was a load of bullshit. Not that he wanted to feel whatever that blue Arrancar was feeling. Maybe it was the negative connection that stopped them from going out there again and ripping each other apart.   
Still, it didn’t make the negative connection any better. Grimmjow had kicked him twice, once in the stomach and another in the chest. The first kick, deemed not enough for fate and gave them nothing. The second kick though, that's the one that sent Ichigo really reeling as the colours came in with an explosion. 

Ichigo laid across his bed with only the moonlight to keep the room visible. Grimmjow hadn’t even reacted to the soul-vision aside from a short jolt and a glaze of surprise reaching his eyes. His hands had just tightened on his Zanpakuto and he went for Ichigo like Ichigo owed him money and assaulted his family for good measure. He went for Ichigo with killer intent and his blows left no room for argument. The redhead briefly reached up and grabbed at his hair, giving it a sharp yank to stop that spiral. The pinch of pain in both his hand and on his head brought back down his hand which he continued to stare at. He sighed, cursing every translated hallmark moving out there about their romantic connections. While he did suspect he’d get a complicated one he didn’t suspect this. This was just straight up not fair. He growled and cursed again. His eyes trailed from his hand to his knuckles and his wrist, at the bruises and knicks that covered it. There were so many colours from yellows to pinks to blues. It was surreal that something so eye-catching was attached to such a-

Ichigo immediately rolled over and sat up. He didn’t quite know where he wanted to go but he wanted to do something. Sitting in bed thinking about how his end was probably going to be met by a blue menace. Adults had always told Ichigo that his own eyes were a light brown colour, not yellow enough to be gold but warm. He couldn’t fathom having to see only that colour four as long as that Espada had been alive but then again, he lasted this long with only the colour blue to highlight his day. The shinigami looked up at the moon and pondered. He always expected the moon to have a colour, not a light grey. Street lamps came up as white in his monochrome vision but ever since he met Grimmjow, memorised his face and voice into his head in fear and in anticipation, he could see that the lights were actually a red, or orange or yellow. All very warm. 

Ichigo stared up at the moon and the moon stared back. It was the same phase in its cycle as the night Ichigo had met Rukia, he came to realise with a jolt. He huffed what could be described as a laugh if you were being desperate and shook his head.   
“What’s the saying about the moon being cheese?” 

“Dad! Ichigo’s talking to himself again!” 

Ichigo whipped around and found his sister at his door, wearing loose shorts and a plain white shirt. Karin seemed as impressed as always. Scratching her calve with her other leg and using her arm against his door frame to keep herself upright. Ichigo felt that Cain Instinct to push her over. He scowled at her and waved an arm at her. “Go to bed, you’re a terror in the mornings as it is.”

She humphed, turned smoothly. “Talking to yourself is the first sign of losing it, Ichigo” Karin called over her shoulder before disappearing from view. Bitch. Ichigo loved her. 

He laid back down on his bed and turned to look up at the sky. She was right. He was losing it, though not in the fashion she imagined him to be. His combat pass sat on his desk. He had left it there, thrown it really after coming in from getting Rukia healed up. It seemed to sit there forebodingly. He clenched his fist and shot up, grabbing it.

This soulmate business could last another day. He had to visit a certain Vizard who promised him answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> man that fight went on for ages and I felt like I needed to skip it but by the time I got sick of writing fighting, Tousen decided to pop in.   
> Oh hi Tousen. 
> 
> Anyway, comment if you have any questions and I'll do my best to answer! Until next time~

**Author's Note:**

> Ive always written in a way that's more quantity over quality so maybe shoot a comment if you have any criticism!  
> Other than that, uh enjoy?


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